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:: Sunday, November 03, 2002 ::

Is Bush a Corporate Whore? Could it be? Read the new Bush energy plan, which includes the creation of 1,300 new power plants. The Bush energy plan focuses on more coal, more oil, more gas and more nuclear power-- forgetting all about clean alternatives. Bush wants to use "clean coal," but coal-fired power plants released more than one billion pounds of toxic pollution (contributing to cancer and other illnesses across the country but most commonly in areas nearest the power plants, which, (you gussed it) are will be located in the lowest income areas (don't get me started on environmental injustice). For a sound energy plan click here .....so why would bush support such a foolish plan? Well...When it comes to campaign contributions, the Republican Party’s ties to the oil and gas industry have been well documented to say the least. No longer is it a surprise to note that 78 cents out of every dollar the industry has contributed to federal parties and candidates over the last decade has gone to the GOP or that President Bush was the No. 1 recipient of the industry’s money during the last election. But here’s something you might not know: Bush, with more than $1.8 million in contributions, got more money from the industry during 1999-2000 than any other federal candidate over the last decade, barely eclipsing two fellow Texans in the process. Sen. Phil Gramm (R) is the No. 2 recipient of oil money since 1989, with $1.6 million from industry PACs and individuals, while his oil patch colleague Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) ranks second with $1.3 million. Texas-based companies dominate the industry’s giving. The most generous: the Houston-based Enron, the industry’s No. 1 contributor during 1999-2000 with more than $2.3 million in contributions, about $1 million more than No. 2 ranked Exxon-Mobil.

Electric utilities can spot an ally when they see one. The electricity industry heavily favored George W. Bush over Al Gore in last year’s presidential election, giving almost $7 to the Texas governor for every $1 they gave to the vice president. All told, Bush collected more than $447,000 in PAC and individual contributions from electric utilities, compared to just $65,000 for Gore. In fact, Bush’s two-year fund-raising total exceeds the cumulative amount that any other federal candidate has received from electric utilities over the last 10 years.

Overall, electric utilities gave 68 percent of their contributions to Republican candidates and parties in 1999-2000, just as they did in 1995-96. But the amount they contributed nearly doubled from one presidential election to the next, from $9.5 million to $18.9 million. The industry’s PAC contributions jumped from $4.8 million to $7.7 million during that time, while its soft money contributions increased from $3.6 million to $8.9 million. During this same period, the industry improved its ranking among the most generous industries, from 27th at the end of ’96 to 19th after last year.

Few industries wagered more heavily on Republicans during the last elections than coal mining, which handed over 88 cents out of every campaign dollar it contributed to the GOP during 1999-2000. Its $3.7 million in total giving was almost three times what the coal industry had given during 1995-96, the previous presidential cycle. No doubt, some of that generosity had something with George W. Bush, who was the industry’s top recipient with just over $110,000 in contributions. Yet the industry’s jump in giving last year can be credited more to its stepped-up soft money contributions. Coal mining interests anted up almost $2 million worth of soft money checks during the last elections, three-quarters of which went to Republicans. That’s three times what the industry gave during 1995-96, when its soft money giving amounted to just over $324,000.

The nuclear power industry was a generous contributor to federal parties and candidates during the 2000 elections. The Southern Co, Entergy and other companies that boast significant nuclear power divisions—as well as industry trade associations like the Nuclear Energy Institute—contributed roughly $13.6 million in soft money, PAC and individual contributions to federal parties and candidates during the last elections. More than two-thirds of that money went to Republicans. President Bush was the industry’s top individual recipient, taking in more than $290,000 during 1999-2000, while top recipients in Congress included Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), who received more than $100,000; Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), who received nearly $93,000; and Sen. George Allen (R-Va.), who took in just over $80,000.

for more information visit the sierra clubfor more information about climate change
and even more information is here (I know you really have a lot of time) visit the MotherJones

Just so you know, I am aware our Democrat friends also benefit from these types of contributions (which is why I have also abandoned that party). So, how about that campaign finance reform? I don't necessarily agree with the current system of in place or a few of the popular proposals (because let's face it, the men and women passing these reform bills accepted donations to get where they presently are), but does anyone care to comment on campaign finance reform in general?